1. Technical Field
Described examples relate to systems, methods and other apparatus for use in monitoring wells, and in particular monitoring of well barriers.
2. Background Information
To help manage reservoir production and maximize recovery factor, the oil and gas industry sometimes adopts multi-zone intelligent completion technology, which allows production from particular reservoir “zones” to be controlled, often independent from one another. This may be achieved by selectively operating control valve or ports at the sections of tubing at some or all of the “zones”. To provide effective zonal isolation, sometimes each zone may be isolated using annular barriers between sections of tubing. In order to understand present conditions at the formation and well infrastructure—and operate and/or maintain the well appropriately—aspects of the zones or completion may be monitored, e.g. from surface.
However, to provide effective control/maintenance of intelligent completion or the like, there may be a desire to monitor conditions accurately. Additionally, such monitoring may be desired for much of the lifespan of any well, e.g. from installation through to production, etc.
This background serves only to set a scene to allow a skilled reader to better appreciate the following description. Therefore, none of the above discussion should necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that that discussion is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. One or more aspects/embodiments of the invention may or may not address one or more of the background issues.